Lesson for New Believers 11 New Testament Background

Lesson for New Believers (11) New Testament Background

E Zhou Shang Xia Bible Chronology Qin Xin Confucius Israel W E Han W Zhou BC Church Christ Solomon David Saul Between The Testaments Return Exile Judah Kingdom Judges Exodus Living in Egypt Joseph Jacob Isaac Abraham Noah Adam

Between the Testaments Periods of the Holy Land Greece 600 500 Babylon 400 Persia/Media Syria 300 200 Egypt 100 Maccabees Rome 0 Malachi Return

Between the Testaments Periods of the Holy Land Greece 600 Babylon 500 400 Persia/Media Syria 300 200 Egypt 100 Maccabees Rome Alexander the Great He brought in the cultural unity to the Near East for 1000 years. He was kind to the Jews and let them have the same citizen rights as the Greeks. This resulted in the Jews’ support and admiration to Greek culture. 0

Between the Testaments Periods of the Holy Land Greece 600 500 Babylon 400 Egypt Ptolemy 300 Persia/Media Macedonia Syria 200 Egypt Thrace/Minor Asia Syria/Babylon Seleucus 100 Maccabees Rome 0

Between the Testaments Periods of the Holy Land Greece 600 Babylon 500 400 Persia/Media Syria 300 200 Egypt 100 Maccabees Rome Hellenistic Greek city Agora, theater, stadium, temple Agora 0

Between the Testaments Periods of the Holy Land Greece 600 Babylon 500 400 Persia/Media Syria 300 200 Egypt 100 Maccabees Rome Hellenistic Greek city Agora, theater, stadium, temple Theater 0

Between the Testaments Periods of the Holy Land Greece 600 Babylon 500 400 Persia/Media Syria 300 200 Egypt 100 Maccabees Rome Hellenistic Greek city Agora, theater, stadium, temple Stadium 0

Between the Testaments Periods of the Holy Land Greece 600 Babylon 500 400 Persia/Media Syria 300 200 Egypt 100 Maccabees Rome Hellenistic Greek city Agora, theater, stadium, temple Temple 0

Between the Testaments Periods of the Holy Land Greece 600 Babylon 500 400 Persia/Media Syria 300 200 Egypt 100 Maccabees Rome Hellenistic Greek city Agora, theater, stadium, temple Language: Greek (Greek name) Entertainment: Greek sports, drama Ideology: Greek philosophy, religion 0

Between the Testaments Periods of the Holy Land Greece 600 Babylon 500 400 Persia/Media Syria 300 200 Egypt 100 Maccabees Rome Hellenistic The popularity of the Greek language has prepared the way for spreading the gospel. Due to its superiority to any other language in precision and elegance, the Greek language became the best media to preach the gospel. While the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, the New Testament was written in Greek, so that the whole world can understand the gospel. 0

Between the Testaments Periods of the Holy Land Greece 600 Babylon 500 400 Persia/Media Syria 300 200 Egypt 100 Maccabees Rome Hellenistic The Roman Empire built many highways after she had conquered the world. The convenience and safety in travel opened a wide door for spreading the gospel. By all of these, God was preparing everything for the coming of Christ. That was why the Bible said, “When the fullness of time came, Christ was born. ” 0

Between the Testaments Periods of the Holy Land Greece 600 500 Babylon 400 Persia/Media Syria 300 200 Egypt 100 Maccabees Rome The first three kings of the Ptolemy dynasty were kind to the Jews. Ptolemy II even sponsored the translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek, which was called the Septuagint. During this period, the Jewish population in the province of Judea increased. They were wealthy, and the economy flourished. Ptolemy II 0

Between the Testaments Periods of the Holy Land Greece 600 Babylon 500 400 Persia/Media Syria 300 200 Egypt In this period, Palestine had been divided into five provinces: Judea, Samaria, Galilee, Perea and Traconitis. This was also the most miserable time for the Jews in the holy land between the testaments. 100 Maccabees Rome Antiochus IV 0

Between the Testaments Periods of the Holy Land Greece 600 Babylon 500 400 Persia/Media Syria 300 200 Egypt 100 Maccabees Rome After the Jews had won their laudable independence, the Hasmonean family became high priests and rulers. The parties of Pharisees and Sadducees emerged in this time. 0

Between the Testaments Periods of the Holy Land Greece 600 500 Babylon 400 Persia/Media Conservative Syria 300 200 Egypt 100 0 Maccabees Rome Pro-Greek 1. Zealous in preserving the law 1. Admire the Greek culture 2. Insist to separate from the Gentiles 2. Mostly the priests and noble Pharisees Sadducees

Between the Testaments Periods of the Holy Land Greece 600 Babylon 500 400 Persia/Media Syria 300 200 Egypt 100 Maccabees Rome The Roman general Gnaeus Pompey conquered Jerusalem in 63 BC. Then the Herod family was appointed to rule Judea. Gnaeus Pompey 0

Between the Testaments Periods of the Holy Land Greece 600 500 Babylon 400 Persia/Media Syria 300 200 100 Egypt Maccabees Rome The Herod family were Idumaeans (the Edomites in O. T. time), who were forced to convert to Judaism in the time of Maccabees. The Roman general Gnaeus Pompey conquered Jerusalem in 63 BC. Antipater, the patriarch of the Herod family, had saved the life of Julius Caesar, so his son Herod the Great was appointed as the king of the Jews. He had reigned for 37 years and was a tyrant who attempted to kill the baby Jesus. Then the Herod family was appointed to rule Judea. 0

Pontius Pilate was the governor when Jesus began his ministry. Sea of Galilee Jordan River Samaria Perea Later Archelaus was deposed because of his brutality, and a governor was appointed to rule Judea and Samaria. Galilee When Herod the Great died, his kingdom was inherited by his three sons. Archelaus inherited Judea and Samaria, and Antipas inherited Galilee and Perea. Judea Dead Sea

Most Jews lived in Judea and Galilee. Jesus grew up in Galilee, and most of his disciples came from Galilee as well. Sea of Galilee Jordan River Samaria Jerusalem Perea Conversely, Galilee had a mixed population of the Jews and the Gentiles; hence this area was looked down by the orthodox Jews. Galilee Since Jerusalem and the temple resided in Judea, the religious atmosphere in Judea was prevalent. Most orthodox Jews lived in Judea Dead Sea

Sea of Galilee Jordan River Samaria Jerusalem Perea They considered the Gentiles as dogs and pigs, since dogs and pigs were unclean animals in the law. Galilee Despite being ruled by the Romans, the Jews considered themselves as God’s chosen people and therefore should not associate with the Gentiles. They would not eat with the Gentiles nor enter their homes, lest they were religiously defiled. Judea Dead Sea

Sea of Galilee Jordan River Samaria Jerusalem Perea Because of some historical conflicts, the Samaritans and the Jews were hostile towards each other and would not associate with each other. Galilee Samaria was an area where the Assyria brought in immigrants 500 years ago. They intermarried with the Israelites and had mixed religion. Judea Dead Sea

Galilee The Jews despised the Samaritans even more than the Gentiles. When the Jews travelled between Galilee and Judea, they would detour through the east of the Jordan River, for the purpose of bypassing Samaria. Sea of Galilee Jordan River Samaria Perea Jerusalem Judea Dead Sea

Temple Theater Stadium Jerusalem in Jesus’ times

Temple The Jews came to Jerusalem three times a year to preserve the feasts of the Lord. Jerusalem was crowded with the pilgrims then. The three feasts were: Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

Antonia Fortress Temple Pinnacle Royal Stoa Dividing Wall Solomon’s Porch

The highest governing body of the Jews in Jesus’ times Sanhedrin of Jerusalem In charge of religious affairs.

The highest governing body of the Jews in Jesus’ times High Priest (1) Scribes Chief Priests (22) (24) Also called the “teachers of the law”. Usually they were Pharisees. Sanhedrin of Jerusalem Elders (24) Sadducees Representatives of the common people

The highest governing body of the Jews in Jesus’ times High Priest (1) Scribes Chief Priests (22) (24) … Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, … (Matt 16: 21) Sanhedrin of Jerusalem Elders (24) Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, … (Acts 23: 6)

Pharisees Sadducees Common people Priests or nobles Separate from the Gentiles Incline to Greek culture Zealous to preserve the law Only accept the Torah Keep the oral law Suspicious of the truth Around 6000 people Far less than the Pharisees Active in recruiting people Reject outsiders Respected by the people Have no influence on people Add things to the law Remove things from the law Formalism (as the Catholic) Rationalism (as the Modernism) Focus on red tape Don’t believe in the supernatural

Other characters in the books of the gospel Herodians: Secular party which supported the regime of Herod. Zealots: Zealous Jewish patriotists who wanted to overturn the Romans by force. Tax collectors: Those who collected tax for the Roman government. They often defrauded their own people and were despised by the Jews. Sinners: Those who didn’t observe the religious codes of the Jews.

Things in the books of the gospel Sabbath: It’s the seventh day of a week, i. e. Saturday. According to the Law of Moses, people should not work on the Sabbath. Later the scribes and the Pharisees made a very detail list about which actions were forbidden on the Sabbath. They made the law very burdensome. Because Jesus often healed the sick on the Sabbath, the Pharisees were greatly offended and started to persecute Jesus. Synagogue: It’s a consecrated place where the Jews meet to read the Bible and pray. There are synagogues wherever the Jews inhabit.

The spiritual atmosphere in Jesus’ times Because the Holy Spirit was moving in people’s hearts, the Jews in Jesus’ times were eagerly expecting the coming of the Messiah (i. e. the Christ) that God had promised in the Old Testament. God also sent John the Baptist to make way for Jesus. He made people realize that they were sinners who needed salvation from God so that they would hope for the coming of Christ. Most Jews thought that Christ was coming to save them from the hands of Romans and to establish a kingdom on the earth. They believed that Christ would be an earthly king.

The spiritual atmosphere in Jesus’ times However, the kingdom of the Christ was not an earthly kingdom, but a spiritual kingdom. The way he became the king was through the humiliation and death on the cross. During Jesus’ 3½ years of ministry, his main goal was to train his disciples. Because after he ascended to heaven, his disciples would take over the mission to preach the gospel to the whole world. As for the other people, Jesus was sowing seeds among them when he ministered them. He did not want them to make him known at this time, lest that people would force him to be king and interrupted God’s plan.

The spiritual atmosphere in Jesus’ times After Jesus raised from the dead, it was the time to make him known, because now people would see him from the correct perspective. They would realize that he had come to be the king of a heavenly kingdom, not an earthly kingdom.

Ascended Crucified & raised from the dead Sent the seventy River of living water Transfiguration Peter had revelation Tyre & Sidon Five loaves & two fish Sent the Twelve Parables of the kingdom of heaven Sermon on the mount Ordained the Twelve Pool of Bethesda Called the four disciples Perea Jerusalem Samaria Galilee Jordan River Jerusalem Judea Samaritan woman Disciples baptized people Feast of Tabernacle Feast of Dedication Nicodemus Wedding in Cana Jesus was baptized Passover Last ½ year 3 rd year 2 nd year 1 st year To Jerusalem

MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN Author Matthew the tax collector Mark Luke the doctor John the apostle Time (66 -68 AD) (50 -60 AD) (62 AD) (80 -95 AD) Synoptic Gospels Recording events that were not included in the first three Gospels, and the events were mostly in Jerusalem.

Audienc e Features MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN Jews Romans Greeks World It had the most quotes from the Old Testament, to prove that Jesus was the Messiah that O. T. foretold. It presented Jesus’ speech in the most detail and organization. It was the first written Gospel, reflecting Peter’s viewpoint. It recorded what Jesus did more than what he said. Its prose style was the most beautiful. It emphasized Jesus’ prayers and lives of ordinary people (the poor, women, tax collectors and Gentiles). The style of writing was simple, but the meaning was deep: the relationship between the Son and the Father; the mystery of the unity between God and man. It also refuted the Gnostic heresy.

Role of Jesus MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN King Servant Perfect Man Son of God Also in front of the throne there … were four living creatures, …. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. (Rev 4: 6 -7)

Role of Jesus Emphasis MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN King Servant Perfect Man Son of God It thoroughly outlined the principles of the kingdom of heaven. The king’s genealogy traced to Abraham, who received God’s promise that his offspring (Messiah) would bless all nations. A servant did more actions than words and was diligent and swift; hence the Greek word “eutheos” (immediately) appeared very often in this book. A servant would not have a genealogy record. It emphasized the humanity of Christ, such as his prayer life and his compassion. The man’s genealogy traced to Adam, who was the father of all humankind. It emphasized God as the Father. It called God as Father 121 times, much more than the other three Gospels. It also elaborated the mystery of communing with God.